2 Samuel 6

Peril in Moving the Ark

11Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to 23Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the 4Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who 5is 6enthroned above the cherubim. 3They 7placed the ark of God on 8a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4So 9they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel 10were celebrating before the Lord 11with all kinds of instruments made of 12fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

6But when they came to the 13threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah 14reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and 15God struck him down there for 16his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. 8David became angry because 17of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called 18Perez-uzzah to this day. 9So 19David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10And David was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of 20Obed-edom the Gittite. 11Thus the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord 21blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

12Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” 22David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into 23the city of David with gladness. 13And so it was, that when the 24bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an 25ox and a fatling. 14And 26David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was 2728wearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

16Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that 29Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

17So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it 30in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and 31David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, 32he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.

20But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! 33He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the 34foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21So David said to Michal, “35It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the Lord. 22I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.” 23Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.